Originally Posted By: Abu-Loomis
Originally Posted By: oregonnatebonker

You are telling me that if you hook one and it dies on the edge of the river, because the fish took a hook balls deep you would happily turn it over to tumble down stream! If so you are douche. Dont forget the crayfish and caddis have to eat!





That´s not what I said and relax with the name calling, nate bonker smile I´ve never caught a wild steelhead that was dead by the time I had it to shore and released. I´ve had some bleeder´s and eye hooked fish that swam off seemingly fine and may or may not have made it. I feel that most of those few fish did. I´ve also caught wild steelhead with massive seal wounds and net marks, that bit, fought and swam off just as strong as a picture perfect specimen.

I would say that you should take a look at your chosen techniques if your mortally wounding native steelhead every time you happen to fish in Forks. ¨It was bleeding¨ is a convenient excuse for some ¨guide¨ from Oregon.


Everytime I fish in forks! It has only happened once. either way there is not much to say here, unfortunatley the fish I killed could not swim and and the decision was made. I can tell you the technique was nothing special. I would agree, these fish are pretty hardy and can handle some abuse, this particular case the fish just had a hook in a bad spot.

Im not sure a guide from oregon has anything to do with it. In oregon we can't retain Wild fish steelhead.

No need to bonk, when the fish is laying on its side and has no energy and has lost a ton of blood. Just saying.

You should look at the definition of wanton waste. that is where you can chew on ethics. letting a wild fish go that will probably die is one thing when you are not allowed to retain a wild fish, however, if you are fishing waters that allow for 1 peryear, and you happen to have an unfortunate hook up and that fish is unable to leave your hands after trying to successfull revive and set loose, letting that fish go knowing that it is done, is well waste. Now you can argue that all you want, but again, ethics will help make that decision for you.
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